Dog Food

Selecting A Dog Food For Your Dog

In the past most people never even questioned what was in the dog food that they were feeding their dog. Things have changed a lot and dog food is big business. There are more people in the world now that have dogs and they aren’t just working dogs that protect our property, they are our family members. We want to pay for good nutritional dog food and not the dog food of the past that was made from animal by-products and shoe leather.

No Grain & Holistic dog food is available now and many people know you have a choice on what you feed your dog. But there is still a lot of recommended dog food out there that uses animal by-products and fillers (corn/corn mill/maze & wheat). The more natural the dog food the better.

An American Veterinary Medical Association study published in the 2010 Journal concluded that dogs are unable to properly digest most grains. Worst are any raw grains, but dogs can digest some starchy grains that have been converted by cooking. They note that rice is a better option than corn or wheat. Food allergies are one argument for choosing a grain-free diet as well. Some dogs cannot tolerate cereal grains and have ear infections or lick themselves incessantly, as their allergic reaction can be different for each dog. Wheat and corn are both common canine allergens. Chicken and eggs byproducts can be problematic for some dogs too. Some food allergies can be developed over time or even hereditary. Dogs with diabetes could potentially benefit from a grain-free diet. High carbohydrate foods cause high blood-sugar fluctuations and insulin resistance. If a dog is fed a proper dog food, with no fillers or animal by-products, they will get the nutrition they need and eat less dog food as well as poop less.

What are animal by-products? You may already know that they are slaughterhouse waste. Everything that is left over from the chicken/beef etc. that is not consumed by humans. So by-products are feathers, beaks, chicken legs, skin, hide, hooves, hair, fat, grizzle etc. It doesn’t sound very good for you, so why would these dog food companies use animal by-products. It is because we have not complained and stopped buying their dog food.

Also just because a Veterinarian tells you that a dog food is good or a pet shop assistant tells you it is ok to feed your dog, it doesn’t make it true. You must do your research. Ask yourself “would I eat this?”

Corn/ground yellow corn/corn meal, maze are all filler, it goes through your stomach and is not digested properly and the same goes for your dogs stomach. There is almost no nutritional value to it. It is full of carbohydrate, fats, starches and calories which are not good for us or our dogs.

Sorghum is also not good for your dog, it is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.

Fish meal is commonly made by the by-products of commercial fish operations (bones, guts & skin).

Chicken/beef flavour contains (MSG) in something they add to some dog food and it is just more chemicals for our dogs to get sick from.

Brewer’s Yeast is loaded with highly digestible protein with an exceptional amino acid balance and contains an abundance of natural minerals and vitamins, especially B Complex Vitamins (except B12). Brewer’s dried yeast helps the digestive system work at peak efficiency, allowing your pet to get even more nutrition from their dog food.

Canola oil may sound good. Each canola seed is planted with chemical fertilizer in order to grow, then more chemical is poured on to get rid of the weeds, then more chemical to get rid of the bugs that eat the canola leaves. Does it sound healthy now? All that chemical goes into the seed pod which is turned in to canola oil.

The ingredients on every dog food package, are always listed with the ingredient with the highest amount first and the least amount very last.

Below are some dog food ingredients and brand names. Choose for yourself if you would like to eat the ingredients or not. A balanced nutritional dog food is what I want to feed my dogs, I feed my dogs “Now” dog food. Remember the old saying “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”.

I feed my dogs “Now” dog/puppy food and recommend it to any one that is looking for a healthy change in their dog’s diet.

Archives

Categories

Jones Chihuahuas

Theresa Gilchrist is proud to be a short coat & long coat Canadian Kennel Club Registered & American Kennel Club Registered Breeder since 1995. Sharing over 100 pages of information from her research and experience to help You make the right decision for you and your dog/s. Theresa is a Pro Breeder and very experienced in breeding Chihuahuas.